Stop it, Bro~ (43) (Patreon)

Title: Pickled Pride (2)

*Clang*

*Whoosh*

A tremendous gust would follow each deafening clang of the blunt weapons the Devil Back Pirates watched the giants for the first time and their battle, too. Unlike what one would have expected, the two Giants were truly out for blood. The axe and the sword aimed for each other's vitals. They dodged and defended one another's attacks and before long, their round shields were forced out. It was clear to even the inexperienced fighters that the two giants were evenly matched and certainly, fighting for 100 years would have made them more intimate with their tricks.

Under the watchful gaze of the visitors, the clash ended with both of their weapons being pried away and a punch landing on each other's faces as Dorry huffed under his breath, "73478 battles..."

And the other Giant grinned, "73478 draws... gebababa..."

Both of them simultaneously fell on their backs with their exhausted sighs intense enough to shake the canopies in the vicinity.

Just as they fell, Brody looked sideways to find a naked figure zooming in on him alone with a massive erection, and his mouth opened wide as if wanting to take a bit out of him!

"Fucker! Wear some clothes!" One half-naked captain whose antics were just as quick to get him naked kicked the man between his legs to send him shooting down on the ground as others, once again, stared in amazement.

This island...

Had a lot to offer...

---

"Gebabababa! Welcome, visitors! I'm Brogy. And you met our kid. Yo, Pickle, be nice or we won't get any booze, Gebababababa!" The giant nudged a primitive-looking youth who couldn't tear his eyes away from Brody with a rag tied around his waist.

Brody, too, kept on staring at Pickle and observed the youth.

'His arms and legs are longer than necessary... nails that look too sharp and tough... teeth that wanted to tear my neck... that's him... the one that made my gut twist to the point of being unable to sleep...' His red pupils grew more and more predatory as Pickle, too, had his eyes widened before his natural reaction kicked in and he grinned widely but didn't move and measured Brody further.

"Sorry, Pickle is like that when he meets new beasts in the forest. Your group lucked out. The last time he met a human group, he wanted to rail that human girl, remember, Brogy? Gegyagyagyagya!" Dorry laughed and Brogy patted his shoulder as if they weren't trying to kill themselves before, "Yeah! Can't say I don't get it though. All Pickle ever mounted was that Saber-Lion he defeated four years ago. Maybe seeing a human female struck a chord, gebabababa!"

Other women shifted even further from Brody and Pickle as Reiju questioned with a rather amused expression, "So... this Pickle, you took care of a human orphan?"

"Well, we had nothing better to do after the ship he came on was destroyed. And to be honest, we only took care of Pickle for four or five years. By then, he was hunting by himself just fine." Dorry looked at the two 'kids' still in a staring match and spoke, "See, Brogy. The cheeky brat just challenged me. Said that I'd only get some of the good stuff if I defeated him. Can you believe that?"

Brogy blinked and his pig-like broad nose flared slightly before he threw his head back to roar into laughter.

"That sounds fun!" Brogy looked at Brody and remarked, "Kid, let me in on the action. It'll tarnish Elbaf's pride if I deny free alcohol!"

Seeing them... Igaram almost felt left out. But he chose to keep his wits about him and keep a cautious glance at Pickle. If what the giants said was true then the youth was raised as an animal more than a human and won't know how to act right or wrong in ways that might just impact Vivi's and the lives of other women in the crew.

"You two... can get back in line," still staring at Pickle unflinchingly, Brody grinned, "He's the one I'll fight. We may not be able to speak to one another but look at him..." he pointed out as others found Pickle nodding with unintelligible grunts, "He can understand me just fine."

"Then..." Vivi looked conflicted as Brody added without looking back at her, "Yeah, I know. If we can't find anything, we'll leave in a few days. Besides, we've got the best navigator so we'll find another island and look for a way to your country."

Scoffing under her breath, Nami replied, "As if flattery alone is enough to get us to Arabasta."

Turning back and grinning, Brody's words made Nami purse her lips in annoyance as she found herself stumped and speechless once again, "Why not? I believe in your skills, Nami."

However, others looked frightened and even Pinky stretched her neck in Brody's direction.

Born and raised in such an extreme environment, Pickle just saw another frighteningly dangerous 'prey' protecting its pack. Should he 'devour' the pack, he must beat the leader into submission. That's what he learned. That's what he believed. And when he saw Brody turn around, he only noticed an opening. A weakness.

Yet, before his nails could reach, Pickle saw the beast unlike any other... bit weaker than his 'parents' who beat him daily, turn around with a fist lashing out quicker than he could imagine. There was just something about this 'prey', thought Pickle. Something he never sensed from his parents. Something that, despite his urge to defeat this man, made Pickle closer to him than any other individual in just a matter of two attacks.

As the punch made him fall backward, Pickle realized he couldn't define this feeling. All he knew was that this sensation was good.

---

Devil Back and the two Giants saw Brody move quicker than ever and punch Pickle's face in and rush after his flung body.

"Ah... takes me back. The two are just made for one another," Dorry laughed, a compliment that Alvida did not take kindly and sharply retorted, "You're drunk even before drinking! If Captain is made for that sorry excuse of a human then am I made for a pig?"

"Maybe you are," Carmen agreed calmly, causing Alvida to glare at the cook snappily. On the other hand, Reiju sighed, "Well, I'm off to find some herbs. Does anyone want to join me?"

"Wait, wait!" Brogy called out, "Why not share some booze, eh? It'll be on credit. Since your captain challenged us, we'll beat him up later for the amount we take! Please!"

It was a strange situation for two giants to request alcohol while promising to beat their captain but annoyed at his blunt and honest answers that usually left her with no choice but to silently feel enthused and annoyed, Nami grinned, "Alright, that and gold, too. All of it!"

---

Reiju was soon accompanied by Nojiko as they began to search around in the forest. Brody's and Reiju's accounts implied that she was a bit stronger if not an equal to the captain of the ship in strength so Nojiko didn't have any immediate worries about her safety.

"Nojiko, sorry about earlier," Reiju spoke after a few minutes of silence as she bent down to pick an unusual spiral-shaped herb and then set it in a plastic bag before placing it in the basket Nojiko brought along.

"About what?" Nojiko blinked in confusion while pulling out some aura from a nearby tree and then, with some hesitation, pushing it into the ground where more and more grass began to grow which caused her to blink in surprise.

"About Nami suddenly disregarding you... I know she was joking but I felt that being her sister... it may have—" Before Reiju could complete, Nojiko chuckled and crouched while looking at the grass, "It's alright, Reiju-san. You're talking as if Nami and I never fought before much less joke around."

"You have? I mean... fought each other?" Reiju questioned while looking over Nojiko's shoulder to see what she was doing.

"Of course," Nojiko looked back with a fond smile, "And we really raised the roof! Hmm, Nami was always quick to argue even with our mother... but I'm happy that even after everything that's happened... she can still be herself."

For a moment, Reiju felt herself unable to speak but once she regained her composure, she smiled, "My, my, our Navigator must really be spoiled then."

Pouting, Nojiko looked at the grass again, "But... I admit that I'm a little envious of how quickly Nami and Brody have gotten along... You saw it, right?"

"I did, but if we're not planning to leave the ship, it'll only take some time," Reiju chuckled, "Besides, you saw the giants and Pickle, too, right? Grandline is... too dangerous. We may have entered it a bit earlier given the entire crew's strength and that's why Bro isn't interfering too much even when he wants to."

Nojiko nodded and sighed, "I get that... still, look at this, I just realized that while others truly cannot utilize the aura I extract in any manner... I can personally move aura from one individual to another."

Reiju raised an eyebrow at that since the skill did look useful, "Maybe... this would help others train?"

"Maybe," Nojiko stood up and shrugged, "Oh, I remember Brody saying you have siblings, too. I never got the chance but we're here. How are they?"

Straining a smile, Reiju shook her head, "Fine, I suppose. But—" she suddenly looked sideways, "Oh? That's a rare poisonous herb."

Reiju walked past Nojiko who pursed her lips and looked at her companion's back who 'childishly' shifted the conversation.

---

"Gegyagyagyagya! That hit the spot!" Dorry laughed as he set yet another barrel of rum and let out a sigh of contentment with Brogy being the same while everyone except Nojiko and Reiju staying near the Giant's stay since the evening set in and they didn't have to risk their lives by going into the unknown jungle.

"So? Your captain is an interesting man. Tell us a bit about him. I just can't shake the feeling I've met him somewhere," Brogy looked at the group as Mikita now shrugged, "He's just a fool who'd ask everyone to be his crewmate while fully knowing he doesn't have that long to live."

Alvida frowned and set her mug down before glaring at Mikita, "Watch your tongue."

"Or what?" Mikita glared in return, "He had the galls to ask me to be his comrade. Promise me that he'll be the best all while in just a matter of three years. It just surprises me more that you all stuck with him!"

Even Honey was a bit conflicted once again but even if cowardly, she just felt it would be too embarrassing to have cold feet of her own.

"You don't know him at all. He'd rather fight the world government for the few of us than your boss would for any one of you. Didn't you say he would kill anyone if you agents return in failure?"

"At least, Crocodile is being realistic then."

"Then... what's wrong with dreaming," Vivi interjected with a stern expression, "Miss. Valentine... you could have stayed behind, right? Steal a ship by yourself and leave but you chose to travel with us. I don't know Brody-san... that much. But he saved my life from you and Mr. 5. He agreed to safely bring me to Arabasta. Even if he had his reasons, I won't let you insult his determination."

Mikita snorted as Nami shrugged, "There's no need to fight, you know. Even I didn't take the news that well. Carmen only stayed because Bro bribed her with Pinky, too..."

Carmen chuckled at that and drank instead of refuting the truth.

"Personally... I wouldn't have stayed if Captain told me about his condition before..." Honey chose to be honest with her new crew as Tashigi adjusted her glasses and replied, "Because Brody... is not an honest man at all! He looks like that but... but..." She began to stammer and blush as Alvida laughed, "Yeah, our captain is one hell of a man! He'll act honestly and then bam, bed everyone!"

Honey's and Mikita's lips parted in surprise as Tashigi added quickly, "Nothing like that happened."

"It did," Carmen hummed, "Truth be told... if he wasn't happy seeing us train, I'd rather cook and fuck."

"Carmen-san!" Tashigi looked at their cook with terror in her eyes.

"We can agree on that, you're just a weak bitch," Alvida shrugged.

"As you can see," Nami looked at the giants, "If our captain is strong and quick in his thoughts to have all of us around him then your prehistoric prodigy will be beaten and probably traumatized badly."

The two giants laughed, "I wouldn't be too sure about that." Brogy chuckled.

"Yeah, we have Elbaf's pride... but Pickle just grew as an animal. When we thought we raised a man with no pride... we realized that Pickle has his own sense of life... and his own sense of pride. That boy better be careful. Pickle's pride just happens to be a tad bit extreme."

'But I can't help shake the feeling... I know him...' The two giants looked in the direction where they felt Brody and Pickle still introducing themselves to one another.

***

Alternate Title: Doki Doki Pirates; Bro D. Pulls; Vivi Taking The Path of D— 'Dreams'; Reiju's Siblings DO 'Squabble.'

***

A/N: Pickle is as strong if not stronger in one piece physically compared to his Baki Counterpart but the thing is, Haki comes from the realization of it and Pickle doesn't have that yet. But, he is still stronger than Rob Lucci and the entire current straw hat crew and a monster waiting to be unleashed on the world. Give me your thoughts about Musashi tho. Should he be revived? Should... a One Piece counterpart be revived instead? *Wink* *Wink*...

OR... just hear me out... OR... Vagabond?